Secrets and Smoldering
by CriminallyCecy
Summary: David Rossi's Military history becomes an obsessional interest for Penelope Garcia, as she finds out there is more about his past than what's been pinned to his uniform. Government issued missions, multi-national agency involvement and a secret passion he's never shared become revealed, as Penelope relentlessly scours his life's details, all the while unaware she's falling in love.
1. Chapter 1

**Thank you to everyone who nominated me in the 2012 Profiles Choice Criminal Minds Awards as "Best New Author" found on the "Chit Chat on Authors Corner" forum.**

**I was so shocked to have received the PM I told everyone in my office who would listen, and now everyone is sure I'm a Criminal Minds freak, which of course I am.**

**If you would like to vote, simply send your ballot as a PM to "2012 Profilers Choice Awards" page. (Again found on the CCOAC forum) =D**

**Thank you again for voting!**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, because if I did, Rossi would wear a lot less clothing.**_

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"Wow…" Penelope breathed into the dark, a spoonful of Mocha Almond Fudge suspended in front of the bright light of her computer screen.

Before her, stared the full jacket of one, David Anthony Rossi, former Seargent Major in the United Sates Marine Corps, with more Honorable Mentions, Purple Hearts, Stripes on his uniform and an impressively long success rate among both public and supposedly-buried special forces missions.

These were precisely what Penelope Garcia was after, sitting alone in her fully dark apartment on a Friday night after what even she considered to be a hairs-standing-on-the-back-of-your-neck spooky case. After three weeks of profiling, chasing down leads and eventually catching up with a former AWOL Marine with severe PTSD that ended in suicide-by-cop, or, Agent Rossi, in this case, Penelope was burning with curiosity at the Italian Lethario's history. When she'd heard Rossi over the ear piece, live in the action, actually _empathizing… genuinely… _with this psycho killer she'd been knocked for a loop.

"_Adams. Listen to me, son. I was in Mumbai, too, I was in Snakepit, son. I saw the school blown to bits, I heard the children screaming, I was two clicks out, kid, there was nothing I could do. I heard it… I was there. Blood… so much blood, more than I ever thought I'd see in a lifetime, poured down us with the ashes and debris… Even the shrapnel was covered in it…" _Penelope couldn't recall the rest, she couldn't even imagine how contorted in pain his face must have been, because she could _hear _the anguish in his voice as it caught, and she knew he was crying.

"No. No no no no no NO!" She stood abruptly and put her hands over her ears, willing the sound of Agent Rossi crying.

Backing away slowly from her computer, she turned on the light in her small kitchen and braced her arms on the counter, glancing only once at her now ominous laptop. She wanted desperately to read the file…. The one that was entitled "Snakepit", and had been thoroughly washed from both multiple federal-level government agencies, but that she had been able to track through the oh-so-lacking-security server of Interpol. Interpol, that still confused her. It was obviously big… Bigger than one or two marines… Multi-national?

Tears she hadn't realized were streaming down her face dropped unceremoniously onto her bare skin, and rolled down her chest underneath the low-cut bed time shirt she was wearing. "Rossi…. Oh my god…. What happened to you?"

An overwhelming desire came over her, as if she were drowning and needed air. She needed him, she needed him _now, _in her arms, safe, where she could see him, hear his breathing…. _Safe. _With lightening speed Penelope raced across the room to her cell phone and yanked it off the charger so fast, the wall plug came out and started a sparkler effect on her wall, catching the sheer maroon window coverings catch, and before she could process what had happened her entire window frame was ablaze.

"Oh no! Oh no! Nooooo" Without question, she saved the laptop first, then her cell phone. Running out her apartment door, she only remembered too late she wasn't wearing shoes as she fumbled with the cell phone for 911.

"_Damnit, Rossi!" _Of course, this was his fault.

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As everyone who occupied her indoors apartment building evacuated, Penelope stood in shock, hugging her laptop to her chest and stammering apologies to every resident who walked by. Thankfully, half the cities Fire Department units had showed up due to a boring night on tour, and the fire was mostly contained to her apartment and some of her corridor's hall way. The elevator also was totally non-functioning, and the Fire Chief was shouting orders to break into it, make sure no one was stuck.

An SUV skidded to a sideways stop in front of _The Mews _apartments and didn't stop running before an armed, pajama clad man came running up and started shouting her name.

Penelope hadn't heard at first, slightly mesmorized by the ladder bucket being elevated to the 6th floor and a hunky young volunteer came climbing out with a kitten in his arms.

"Awe… oooohh!" Penelope thought it might be the sweetest thing she'd ever seen. "Yay kitty!"

"PENELOPE!" David Rossi grabbed her from behind and swung her around to face him, quickly glancing up and down her entire body and patting her arms and back for burns or injuries. "Are you okay? Are you burned? Is anything broken? Why aren't you with the EMTs? We should go to the hospital, right away." He was frantic, bossy and… pissed.

"Dave… I …. What are you doing here?" She couldn't process why he was here, nothing was registering. She hopelessly looked around for the rest of her team, as she was not used to seeing him without them.

"ARE. YOU. HURT?!" Rossi shook her arms slightly.

"N..no, I'm fine.. I'm fine… I got out. I… I'm fine." She now noticed his hands strongly, very strongly, gripping her arms.

Following her eyes to his hands clutching her probably too tightly, he gentled his grip but didn't let go. He glanced over her, head to toe again, to make sure she was okay, and noticed she wasn't wearing shoes in the wet grass.

"You're going to catch a cold without shoes, get in the truck, now." He gently turned her around, and attempted to shrug off his coat to wrap around her, but without relinquishing his grasp on her arm this was a difficult task. Practically shoving her in the SUV, an awkward climb because she was equally resistant to let go of her laptop, he finally shook the jacket off and threw it over her knees, wrapping the arms around her legs and covering her feet he began to rub heat back into them. "Jeez, Pen, your feet are frozen."

Garcia looked down at him with the same look of slight shock and confusion she knew she must have been wearing all night, even before the fire. Here he was, in the flesh, the man who was a James Bond and War Hero.

"Agent Rossi, what… what are you doing here? Where is the rest of the team? How did you…" She almost didn't want to know. Did he have them under surveillance, like he did his whole team in Bosnia?

"Never you mind." David reached over her body and turned the heater on full blast and closed the SUV door before he said something to the fire chief and headed back around to the drivers seat.

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**The Rossi/Garcia pairing has really been growing on me! Please let me know what you think =) Rather written in haste, not much time for editing. Hope that's alright. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to everyone who nominated me in the 2012 Profiles Choice Criminal Minds Awards as "Best New Author" found on the "Chit Chat on Authors Corner" forum.**

**I was so shocked to have received the PM I told everyone in my office who would listen, and now everyone is sure I'm a Criminal Minds freak, which of course I am.**

**If you would like to vote, simply send your ballot as a PM to "2012 Profilers Choice Awards" page. (Again found on the CCOAC forum) =D**

**Thank you again for voting!**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, because if I did, Rossi would have a make-out scene in every episode.**_

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

Penelope knew instinctually that she was in trouble, and that asking where they were headed was a futile if not fatal attempt. She kept quiet and stared at the road ahead, waiting on the storm to either land in her lap or peacefully pass.

"What happened, Penelope? The Chief said it started in your apartment, and only yours and the one above it have any damage. In fact, he doesn't think it will be inhabitable for at least 6 months depending on repair time. Tell me what happened, Penelope."

He never used her whole first name unless he was serious. Dead serious. And after reading about his ventures in Romania, it was fairly safe to assume he was good at the killing part. A line from the file flashed in her mind. _Subjects Rossi, Tate and Kenton, 1, infiltration successful, extraction of target substance and live targets obtained. Two POW's retrieved for interrogation, Seventeen fallen enemy, cleaners required. _

"A… an electrical plug, sparked, and the curtain caught fire." Her thoughts were so riddled it was coming out in her speech, and she knew she sounded unsure.

David wasn't convinced, she sounded like she was lying. Hiding something, and he was determined to know what. Anger that she'd almost been injured coursed through his blood and threatened to burst out of his temple. It was all he could do not to punch the steering wheel, but he didn't want to frighten her with his outburst. He knew she didn't react well to anger or violence.

"The Chief said there was melted wax everywhere, Pen, are you sure it wasn't candles?"

"Candles? N..no.. It was the plug, it looked like a fourth of july sparkler for a moment, and then it looked like Christmas, the way it went all glowy…"

Leave it to Penelope Garcia to describe a house fire to look like sentimental holidays. David Rossi was becoming frustrated, and inwardly groaned at her beautifully innocent nature.

"Was that…" _Rat _"Was Kevin there? You had some candles lit? Like romantic, and something got knocked over?" Rossi was making himself even angrier, he did not want to hear about Penelope being with that incompetent excuse for a man.

"Kevin? No, …. Did you see him or something? I _told you! _It was the electrical plug-in thingy!" Now Penelope was becoming frustrated. What did Kevin have to do with anything?

David relaxed a miniscule amount and realized he was slightly embarrassed to have brought Kevin up. "I'm just trying to understand, Pen." He sighed at turned off the freeway.

Indignant boldness flaring up she finally asked, somewhat haughtily "So, where are you taking me, anyways?"

"To my home. You need someplace to stay and right now I'm keeping my eyes on you, because I'm afraid next a stove burner might make it's war against you."

Penelope had no words. She went back to staring at the road ahead. Painfully aware that she was still in her less-than-sexy night wear, clutching her laptop without shoes she became overwhelming self conscious. Hadn't she just been hoping to see him, only an hour ago, hadn't she wanted nothing more in the world than to be near him? To hold him, to make sure she never heard him cry again?

_Oh my god… Did I will this to happen? Did I just somehow wish to the universe so badly for something that my apartment got ruined in the wish-coming-true making? _Her eyes grew wider, and Rossi noticed without some personal affront.

"Pen, I'm not going to bite… I didn't want you to go to a hotel or anything… Though… I guess if you really prefer that to my company…" He couldn't look her in the eyes. If she truly would rather be in a strange hotel than a friend, a team member, someone who honest to God cared about her… it would hurt greater than he was ready to face right now. His nerves were on end, having broken every traffic law in the city to get to her apartment only an hour ago, fearing the worst… And his sister gave him crap for listening to police scanners when he couldn't sleep. _Well, Nina, it's a good thing I do! _

"No… I'm fine… Really… I can stay. Thank you… You didn't have to… I could have called Emily…" Garcia stared at her carefully jacket-wrapped toes. It suddenly dawned on her that she was temporarily homeless, and all of her possessions were ruined. She didn't have a clean set of clothes to her name, and all of her beautiful Jimmy Choo's were gone forever. She sighed heavily, a sadness coming over her.

"Pen, don't worry about a thing, okay? We'll fix this, it's nothing, Penny, nothing." David reached over and pried a hand from her laptop to squeeze it. The warmth surprised her as much as the "We" injected in his sentence.

_God, is there even a better man on this planet? _She thought fondly, as she squeezed his hand back, words escaping her as tears started to flow. _Oh, don't cry now! _

"Oh, please… Penny, don't cry…" David quickly pulled a personalized hanky from his pants and put it up to her face. "I… I don't know how to fix tears…"

Holding the incredibly smooth piece of linen in her hands she choked out a laugh, "Tears, bring the great David Rossi to his knees? I somehow doubt that very much, sir." He gave her an encouraging smile, to which she returned even through the streaked mascara. "And of course you have monogrammed handkerchiefs…." She laughed again, this time directly at him.

"Hey. A man's gotta have style." Ah, now that was better, he thought proudly, regaining his composure and all-too-cool demeanor as they pulled up the long U-shaped driveway to his mansion.

"Madame, welcome to Rossi Manor." He mocked in a funny accent, as he pulled open her door.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to everyone who nominated me in the 2012 Profiles Choice Criminal Minds Awards as "Best New Author" found on the "Chit Chat on Authors Corner" forum.**

**I was so shocked to have received the PM I told everyone in my office who would listen, and now everyone is sure I'm a Criminal Minds freak, which of course I am.**

**If you would like to vote, simply send your ballot as a PM to "2012 Profilers Choice Awards" page. (Again found on the CCOAC forum) =D**

**Thank you again for voting!**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds, because if I did, Rossi would have groupies.**_

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

Even though she'd been to "Rossi Manor" once before, it still awed Penelope to look at the towering monstrosity. It gave her a bit of a head spin, staring up at the second floor balcony.

Stepping out of the SUV in bare feet the cold stone driveway immediately felt like ice under her toes. David noticed the slight wince on her face and remembered she didn't have shoes. Without giving her any warning, Rossi swept her up into his arms and shut the car door with an out-stretched leg. "Not going to chance you getting a cold, out here." He explained gruffly when she squealed and grabbed onto his neck for dear life.

"Sir, put me down! I'm too hea.." she stopped herself from voicing her most self conscious concern and continued wiggling to free herself.

"Stop that this instant." David stood still, making her look into his eyes as he grabbed her even firmer.

Penelope felt a trickle of fear run through her as she met his very serious eyes. He was scowling something dangerous, and she knew he meant business. Stilling her movement and resolved to have this embarrassing display over with, Penelope simply looked onward to the elaborate mahogany front door as he started to walk calmly forward, expertly maneuvering to the door and opening it just wide enough to walk them both in sideways.

"Don't you lock your door?" Pen asked wide eyed as he placed her on the couch.

"Not when I'm rolling code through town to get to a burning building, I don't." Rossi grabbed a warm fleece blanket from the back of the couch and quickly bundled her in it.

"About that, are you going to tell me how you knew before anyone else on the team that my apartment was on fire?" there was a tone of exasperation to her voice as she took control of the blanket he was tucking under her legs.

Before he could answer, the police scanner on the kitchen island sprang to life with a random code she had no idea how to decipher and an address that was on the other side of town. David gave her a pointed look with a sideways head nod towards the kitchen. He was feeling embarrassed again, but certainly not apologetic. She might be on her way barefoot to a strange cold hotel by now, if not for him. And he couldn't handle the thought.

Moving towards the fireplace with his back turned to her, he began placing logs into the brick compartment and lighting matches on old newspaper.

Penelope didn't know what to say, she was still very shell-shocked at the last hour and a half of her life and this incredibly bizarre twist. She was becoming increasingly convinced that she had wished something into the universe too reverently and it came true by way of torching her fortress of solitude.

"Sir…"

"Dave, Penelope, no need for titles here." Rossi's thoughts were swirling, now what? He had the object of his fantasies sitting in his living room finally, and he had no idea what to do next. Where the subject of women were concerned, he shouldn't be a stranger… but she made him nervous. She, Penelope Garcia in all her beauty and light, made him downright nervous as a school boy. He noticed his fingers were trembling slightly, and he tried hard to busy himself with the fire.

"Dave. Thank you. I…" she smiled sadly, remembering her home was now non-existant. "I…" _oh why can't I think straight! _Mentally slapping herself as the tears started again and she hid her face in the soft blanket.

Turning just in time to see her face fall under the blanket, David's heart sank. She was crying again…

Closing the small space between them in two giant strides, David once again scooped her into his arms and began running his hand up and down her back. "shh… Penny… You already thank me. I don't need thanks, kitten. I'm just glad you're okay. I was scared shitless, Pen… the scanner just kept saying there were people inside and they were trying to evacuate… I'm just glad you're okay. Everything else we can handle, okay? Don't worry about anything. Shh…." Her hiccupped sobs became more frantic for a moment and then finally quieted and subsided, and he waited patiently for her breathing to return to normal while he held her, burying his nose in her bright red hair, relishing the scent of apples and cinnamon.

Finally a tear streaked face emerged from the blanket and rested on his chest. Penelope was overcome with the strength of his arms, the firmness of his chest and the wonderful scent of him. She didn't realize how nervously she was clutching his shirt in her hand, subconsciously fearful that if she let go something bad would happen. In a matter of moments, the arms around her were the whole world, and if they let go she might shatter.

David released one arm from around her torso to place a hand over the one fisting his shirt. It warmed him, all the way through, having her need him. He placed his lips on her forehead, and let them linger. She didn't pull away, but rather closed her eyes peacefully and exhaled the last hours trauma completely out of her body and away from her.

"I'm so glad you're okay…" another kiss, this time to the cheek, precariously close to her lips, and his heart skipped happily as the hand clutching his shirt reached up around his neck to pull him closer.

Nuzzling her neck and inhaling deeply, Rossi felt his pants tighten painfully, white-hot desire overtaking him like a tidal wave.

_Oh … oh! _Penelope felt the hardening under her thighs and felt frenzied from the inside out. Embarrassment, confusion and desire rushed her thoughts and she wanted both to immediately climb out of his lap and to straddle his manhood at the same time. She was scared he would relinquish their closeness, say it was a mistake, maybe even be flushed and say something about needing to go to bed now… But he didn't. His hand that had held hers just moments ago now snaked under hers to cup her cheek and jaw-line. Shivers most audibly ran down her back as she looked into the deep obsidian eyes searching hers out for any hesitation.

Pressing his lips to hers, he knew his eyes must be rolling in the back of his head. It was all he could do not to moan at how soft and full her lips felt, she tasted as wonderful as he'd imagined she would. Already he was forming a plan in his head to keep her here as long as he possibly could, he wouldn't let something so amazing slip through his fingers. And just as tried to deepen the kiss, exploring her lips with his toung she let out a small squeal and pushed his shoulders away, struggling to get out of his embrace and lap ungracefully and finally standing, one hand on her pounding chest and breathing heavily.

"Sir! You can't! We can't! No… no no no… Just… Tell me where I'm sleeping…" She flapped her hands in the air rapidly with a look of horrified embarrassment coloring her cheeks. _What the hell?! David Rossi doesn't just… kiss women like ME in his home… Oh god everything I've heard is true, he's a devil of a horndog, he'd get anything with two legs in his bed! _She was feeling irrationally hurt, and upset...Covering her eyes and turning to the fire she jumped sideways when she felt his hands on her shoulders.

"Pen… I'm sorry… I…" He couldn't explain this away, he'd kissed her alright, _and _copped a feel. Pain in his chest started as he realized she didn't reciprocate his feelings, and it hurt deeply, she didn't even want him to touch her.

"Just… tell me where I am to sleep tonight…" she said with a small voice.

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**Thank you for reading! Don't forget to vote! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to everyone who nominated me in the 2012 Profiles Choice Criminal Minds Awards as "Best New Author" found on the "Chit Chat on Authors Corner" forum.**

**I was so shocked to have received the PM I told everyone in my office who would listen, and now everyone is sure I'm a Criminal Minds freak, which of course I am.**

**If you would like to vote, simply send your ballot as a PM to "2012 Profilers Choice Awards" page. (Again found on the CCOAC forum) =D**

**Thank you again for voting!**

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

David's head was reeling as he led Penelope to a large and comfortable guest room. She was quietly hugging herself, padding bare foot on his wood floors.

_How could you be so stupid?! You just attacked her with a kiss in her most vulnerable state… her home just burned down, for gods sake, Rossi, you idiot!_

Opening the door and walking through it before her, he quickly located the linen closet, and pulled out an oversized feather-down comforter to lay across the king sized bed.

Refusing to speak to him again, Penelope kept her thoughts to herself. This "Guest room" was bigger than the largest hotel suite she'd ever been in. Peaking to the left she confirmed her suspicions that it had it's own boudoir and large bathroom, complete with a spa-tub.

After spreading the blanket on the bed, he faced her, a sort of sadness etched in his face. "Penelope I'm sorry for that back there, it was inappropriate. I…" He looked down at his hands. This was a mess… he always made a mess of things. His once chance to express how he felt to her and he'd ruined it.

Anger boiled to the surface again as she looked at him. _How dare he act all sorry and sad… _"Just because I don't walk around the BAU in a tight, size-double-zero skirt doesn't mean I'm some easy woman who likes to be kissed by anyone whose horny enough to have me, _Sir. _I appreciate the room. I will call Emily in the morning."

Dawning came over Rossi as he met her hurt eyes, and he knew in that moment that she had misunderstood him. _Oh, you silly perfect woman. Is that what you think of yourself? _

"Penelope you completely misunderstand me." He had a million things running through his head that he would like to say to her, but none of them seemed to be able to dissolve this situation at the moment, by the look of her pertinently crossed arms.

"I think I understand you perfectly. You have quite a reputation around the office _and _in the field, Agent Rossi. I'm not such a lonely case I'm desperate to be another notch on your bedpost. Please leave." The words hurt even as she said them, tears threatening to overwhelm her again as she looked down at her glaringly bare feet. They were getting cold, and she missed the fleece left on the couch. In fact, she missed how warm she had felt when he had pulled her to him. And she hated herself for missing that.

"I'm not that man anymore, I haven't been for nearly ten years, Pen. Good night." He walked past her and gently shut the door behind him, and the pain in his words were so evident it reminded her of his breaking voice just moments before she had heard the tears during his confession to Adams.

It made her feel terrible. Hadn't she just been wishing she could make sure she never heard that pain in his voice ever again? Though here she was, having heard the pain again, this time in person, not over a conference line that kept her connected to the team. And suddenly she felt awful. Had she judged his intentions so harshly? Without giving him time to explain the truth? Guilt overwhelmed her and instead of climbing into the warm feather bed she stood debating whether or not she should go to him and apologize for all but calling him a low-down dirty dog.

Groaning, she pulled apart the drawers in the dresser, hoping against odds she might find some socks. This room wasn't as warm as the living room with a fire place. Finding none, she couldn't shake the feeling that she owed Rossi an apology for biting his head off. Quietly pulling the door open she looked both ways down the long dark hallway.

_Now which gosh darn way is his bedroom? _Roaming around the enormous house was not at all her idea of fun, in fact, she was increasingly becoming creeped out by the profound silence and black dark.

Finding double French doors, she pulled them open, fully expecting this to be his larger-than-life master bedroom. Instead, she found the study, ceiling to floor bookshelves lit by the moonlight from equally an equally as impressive glass window pane covering an entire wall. Somewhat entranced, she stepped in, and looked out the window. It overlooked a large, well manicured lawn. Sighing and thinking of how romantic a balcony lit by moonlight would be to share with someone and a nice glass of wine, she turned to walk out, but ran smack into a firm, solid hair mass. Screaming at the top of her lungs and instinctually smacking at anything she could touch on the intruder, Rossi couldn't help but chuckle. "it's just me, Pen, stop.. oofh…" she had landed a clawed finger on his bare chest and gouged roughly near a very sensitive and peaked nipple.

"What are you doing creeping around like a creeper?! You scared me half to death!" Penelope smacked his chest again, noticing with labored breathing that he had shucked his night shirt.

"What am _I _doing creeping around? In my own home you mean?" He chuckled again and rubbed the spot he was sure was trickling blood now from her talons. "Damn woman, get those things trimmed…" He walked to his desk and turned on a low-lit lamp, examining his wound carefully.

Seeing the small bit of blood she gasped. "Oh… sorry… but you deserved it! You scared me!" She defended stubbornly.

"My deepest apologies. I just came down here for a drink…" He held up an expensive looking decanter with amber liquid in it. "Care for a nightcap?" He offered casually, trying with all his might to forget the embarrassment of earlier.

"You need to put some Neosporin on that…" she couln't tear her eyes away from the firm bare chest of David Rossi. Carmelized skin covered in dark black curls… She wanted to touch him again. She refrained from running her fingers down his surprising abs as he handed her a tumbler full of aged whiskey. "Thank you…" She whispered, embarrassed as he caught her looking at more than the scratch she had marred him with.

Having her eyes on him sparked his earlier desire so strongly he had to turn away for fear he might be getting a hard on again. Looking down quickly and praying to whatever saints may be to make the thing stay down in his pants, he grabbed a tissue to busy his hands and blotted the bloodied scratch.

"What _were _you doing in here?" He asked carefully.

"Looking for you." She wrinkled her nose as the first sip burned down her throat. It was quite a welcome feeling, and she eagerly took another sip.

"Oh?" He faced her now, curiosity growing. Had she changed her mind? He could only hope…

"I…" She couldn't bring herself to apologize now it came to it. "I want to ask you about some things…" Tentatively looking into his burning gaze she knew with a little help from the whiskey she might finally be able to ask him about his incredible past with the Marine Corps.

"Ask me anything, Penelope." He motioned for her to take a seat across from him on the chaise lounge as he himself took a seat in his favorite leather back chair.

She looked into the dark liquid in front of her, she was scared he'd be angry she was asking. "I… Well. I did some research. I'm curious about… about Snakepit."

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	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you to everyone who nominated me in the 2012 Profiles Choice Criminal Minds Awards as "Best New Author" found on the "Chit Chat on Authors Corner" forum.**

**I was so shocked to have received the PM I told everyone in my office who would listen, and now everyone is sure I'm a Criminal Minds freak, which of course I am.**

**If you would like to vote, simply send your ballot as a PM to "2012 Profilers Choice Awards" page. (Again found on the CCOAC forum) =D**

**Thank you again for voting!**

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

David Rossi eyed her carefully. Of course she'd done "some research" and God knew what she'd dug up. Penelope Garcia could find anything, on anyone, erased past or not. He decided to be totally honest with her, besides, it wasn't as if he had anything to lose. He knew that he loved her, and if he had any chance in hell with her it would start here, with honesty.

"Myself and three others in armed forces, two Navy, one Air Force and myself, were commissioned to be part of a Special task forces team for a particularly nasty extraction of a United States ambassador in Mumbai. What we didn't know was that he was a nasty piece of work, of course, we were on a need-to-know basis, you see. We had no idea that he was in bed with the enemy. Literally. A woman by the name of Katesh Suylman, who was, as it turns out, a reformed Jihadist. She was evil. Pure evil. Her mission, played out perfectly – seduce our ambassador until he was corrupted. Long story short, he assisted in the genocide of three schools in a five mile radius, an aerial bomb attack we couldn't have foreseen since he was giving us false information and keeping us busy with "rescuing" him from his captors…" Rossi paused to finish his whiskey, pain and disgust etched in his face as he struggled to contain his rage. To this day, it still made him furious enough to kill. Standing to refill his tumbler, Penelope watched him with large eyes.

_He looks tortured…_She thought sadly. "All those kids…" She whispered, and finished her whiskey as well.

He turned and walked towards her, gently taking her hand and lifting it up to his decanter to refill her glass. She shivered as he touched her, and looked up into his face from her sitting position. Penelope's desire from earlier to make sure he wasn't hurt, to make sure he was safe, resurfaced so strongly she nearly knocked the liquid from his hands. Noticing she was shaking, he looked into her eager eyes. "Yea. All those kids. Our extraction was diversion. A ploy to get us so far away we couldn't save anyone if we tried." He placed the whiskey back onto the sidebar and took a long pull from his glass.

Silence hung heavily between them, and Penelope wanted to cry. _Stop this, no more crying! _She told herself firmly.

"What happened to the ambassador, to Katesh?"

"The ambassador gained immunity for turning over on the operation and name dropping some fundamentalists. And as for Katesh…." He swished his drink around and looked Penelope dead in the eyes, fearing her reaction. "I killed her."

Penelope swallowed, but didn't waver from his gaze. "Good." She nodded her head for emphasis. It wasn't the reaction Rossi had been expecting from her, she, the advocate for non violence all over the world. It made him smile briefly.

"You're full of surprises, Pen." He smiled at her this time, but it was a sad smile, having to retell this horrible story of children being mass murdered.

"Why did you ask about Kevin, earlier?" She felt emboldened by the strong whiskey, which was making her feel warm and tingly all over.

This, he was not expecting. Slightly embarrassed he smirked and sat down again.

"Because I hate the prick, and wanted a reason to wring his neck." Rossi crossed his legs casually. _As long as we're being honest. _

"Oh." She hadn't expected that, at _all. _David Rossi was far more murderous than she had initially given him credit for.

"And because I'm jealous of him." Penelope's face shot up and met his eyes dead-on.

_Jealous? Of Kevin? Who is scared of guns and has ear acne? _She felt genuinely confused. How could the infamous and great David Rossi, former and current bad ass have anything to be jealous of?

Seeing the confusion on her face, he shook his head.

"Pen, you are so woefully blind at some things. I'm jealous because he has _you._" There was no joke in his words, there was no teasing, and he did not waver his answer to have any double meaning, there it was, plain and simple. He wanted her, with no hidden motives or intentions, and she couldn't deny it.

Feeling nervous and embarrassed, she spoke just to close the awkward silence now hanging in the air. "He doesn't have anything. He said he needs his space. Apparently I suffocate him." She snorted bitterly into her glass and finished the second round. Getting up to help herself to some more, David watched her hungrily cross small distance between them, eyes glued to her round thighs.

"He's an idiot, then." Rossi wanted desperately to stand up and take her in his arms again, though he didn't dare. She clearly wasn't ready, or thought he had dishonorable intentions. He shifted carefully as his cock twitched to full attention, having her ample ass within reaching distance from his seated position.

Penelope did not return to her seat. Instead she braced her arms on the sideboard, feeling a little dizzy from the alcohol. "Do you know Amber? The red-headed twig in Evidence Processing? I saw them together a few nights ago at _our _coffee shop." She closed her eyes angrily and grabbed the liquid, not caring that it swished precariously over the side.

David stood then, realizing she was a little drunk and swaying where she stood. "Pen, maybe that's enough, you look a little dizzy…"

"I'm fine!" She took a step back from him, waving the glass in front of her, spilling a little more. Looking him up and down again she noticed the mass in the front of his pants that she had actually felt under her thighs a little while ago. "You're hard again." Her giggle turned into a full-blown laugh in a matter of seconds.

Groaning to himself and shifting his boxers in a futile attempt to hide the embarrassing growth he took another step towards her. "Pen, give me that, you're going to get drunk…"

"Fine. I only came out to find you to apologize. There, I'm sorry, I said it. I'm going to bed now." She relinquished the glass and turned to walk through the double doors, leaving David watching the sway of backside with mouth watering. Deciding to follow her, he placed the glasses down.

"Sorry for what, Pen?" God, if he could just touch her one more time…

"For biting your head off earlier. And…" reaching her room she reached out a hand on the frame to steady herself. "Assuming you're a dirty devil horndog."

"Well… Thanks. I meant it, Pen, you misunderstand me. I don't have any hidden motives, here. I care about you." He stood still, very much still apprehensive about approaching her. David did _not _want a repeat of being turned down, it had hurt his pride far more than he cared to admit.

His sincere words sobered her a little, and she didn't know how to react, what to say. She stood quietly, wishing he'd just make a move again, so she could touch his chest again.

"Can I ask _you _something?" He took a small step towards her. Nodding her head wordlessly, he continued. "Why were you researching Snakepit? Is that what you were doing before the fire started?" She couldn't look him in the eyes, instead she focused her quickly blurring vision on the steady up and down of his dark brown chest.

"Yes, it was… I wanted to know… what had you so… hurt. When you were talking to Adams. You sounded… hurt." Penelope hugged herself and forced her eyes to meet his. "I care too, Dave."

Peace flowed through him, hearing the words. _She cares. She cares. _He walked towards her and gave her a light hug, relishing how her body melded with his as she leaned into his touch. Kissing her gently on the forehead, he looked down at her beautiful face, distinguishable even in the dark. "That's really good to know, Kitten. Get some sleep, we'll figure everything out tomorrow, okay?"

Unwillingly letting go of her, he walked towards the door and started to shut it before she spoke again.

"Dave… Stay." She was rubbing the chills away on her arms, and her pleading voice was all he needed. He would do anything she asked of him, anything, forever.

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

**Thank you for reading! I'm having a lot of fun with these two characters. They are such an unlikely pairing that it makes it exciting to play with them =D **


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you to everyone who nominated me in the 2012 Profiles Choice Criminal Minds Awards as "Best New Author" found on the "Chit Chat on Authors Corner" forum.**

**I was so shocked to have received the PM I told everyone in my office who would listen, and now everyone is sure I'm a Criminal Minds freak, which of course I am.**

**If you would like to vote, simply send your ballot as a PM to "2012 Profilers Choice Awards" page. (Again found on the CCOAC forum) =D**

**Thank you again for voting!**

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

Rossi walked back through the door and took a shivering Penelope in his arms, kissing her gently on both cheeks before using a free hand to close the guest room door, and guiding her backwards to the bed. _Finally. _He was able to be honest with her, to show her and speak to her as to how he felt. He opened his mouth to speak but Penelope rushed to cover his lips with hers, wanting him to be near her, touching her, more than she had ever remembered wanting physical intimacy.

Taking his queue from her, he began leaving a burning trail of agonizingly hot kisses down her neck line, stopping periodically to suck on the soft porcelain skin beneath his lips. Only their frantic breathing could be heard, as he longingly plucked the flesh between his teeth and relished in her frenzied hands, grabbing at him desperately.

When she laid down on the bed, gently guided by his strong arms underneath her, Penelope knew she was indeed in the sharp snare of a trap that was David Rossi. So this is how he did it, seduced any woman he wanted with expert hands and soft, trained lips.

Failing miserably at holding in the low mewls escaping her throat, Penelope clutched about impatiently at any inch of exposed skin she could find, no longer worried about scraping his toned body, pinching and tugging at anything that she could get into her fist.

"Ah… Pen…" He lifted his head for a millisecond, to wince in wonderful pleasure as her nails dug into his back, pulling him painfully forward into her, his full arousal finding her crotch. He laid his head into the crook of her neck, unwilling to move his body from the perfection it was finding in this moment.

Penelope's head felt like it was whirling, spinning madly with desire and pleasure as his full erect manhood found her intensely sensitive nub.

Grinding impatiently against him, she nearly begged.. "Dave… Please…"

He needed no further encouragement, and a quickly formulated plan deriving from many nights of fantasy began to come into motion as he released a hand from her perfect tresses to her ass, that wonderful round, willing ass… Grabbing it, he squeezed hard, and felt a rush of excitement when she whimpered into his shoulder. "Y..Yes… Dave… Oh God…"

"Not quite baby, but I hope I'm just as good…" he said into her breasts, as he began to lick the exposed skin, pulling down her shirt with his teeth, momentarily reminded that it had the faint smell of smoke and ash.

Pulling his hand off her ass and quickly yanking down her pajama pants, Rossi was painfully aware of his throbbing hard-on, there was no way he could last much longer… Her labored breathing and nails rummaging for anything she could get her hands on were clear indicators that she _wanted _him, wanted and _needed _him and it was all he could do not to come in his pants.

"Pen…. Baby, God yes…" forming coherent sentences was no longer an ability he possessed when Penelope reached between them to stroke his erection. Thrusting into her palm while frantically squirming out of his own night wear, he felt shivers run down his spine as the first drops of pre-cum began to saturate his boxers.

"Baby, I won't last if you keep that up…" He couldn't remember the last time a woman's hand on his cock had gotten him this excited.

"Well, we can't have that, you have a reputation to uphold." Penelope giggled devilishly and she pulled away her hand, leaving the area painfully exposed to the cold room.

"You're torturing me, you know that?" David sat up on his elbows to look into her smiling eyes.

"I'm sure you deserve it." Penelope watched amusingly as his eyes followed her fingers, now very slowly unbuttoning her top, the first button at the low-cut V in her shirt, exposing enough cleavage to make his mouth water. How was it that the great David Rossi, with a Romeo reputation in the BAU, be left speechless under her spell? Femininity and lust rose in her strongly, realizing how much he wanted her in this moment.

Just as she was forming a plan on how to make him beg, trying with all her might to keep her mind focused as he became impatient and began helping relieve her of her night shirt and bra, a shrill noise sounded from the kitchen.

"Goddamnit." Rossi muttered into one very peaked breast.

"What… What was that?" The sound became louder the second time, becoming clearer that it was an increasing volume ringer on some sort of phone.

"Nothing that's more important than you are, baby. Ignore it." David placed a convincing kiss in the delicious crevice between her heaving breasts.

The fourth ring was loud enough to send an echo throughout his spacious dining area, and seemed as if it were getting closer to the guest room. A moment later it died, and they resumed kissing each others mouths passionately as her bra was finally, triumphantly tossed across the room and landed who knew where.

Running his hands down her chest and taking one very welcoming mound in his hands and rubbing her nipple in a circle Dave smiled when she whimpered. He was back in control, no more torturing.. until he realized…

"Baby I don't have a condom…I don't… have women over…" He smiled apologetically.

"Doesn't matter… Birth control… don't stop…" she covered the hand on her breast to encourage the rubbing. Without argument Dave dipped his head and began to suck gently on the peaked nipple, flicking occasionally with his tongue. He hadn't thought it was possible to get harder than he already was but when his free hand reached between them to rub her clitoris, he was so hard it was starting to be painful, realizing she was very wet, and now so were the sheets beneath her.

"So wet for me baby…"

Penelope moved his hand for him, rubbing her aching little nub, and feeling herself open even further, burning with desire to be filled by him. "I need you, I need you _now, _Dave… Please…"

Groaning as his head started spinning and losing focus on the breast he had meant to spend more time giving attention to, he lifted his body and positioned it above hers, wanting badly to make this last as long as possible, he decided at the last second to insert a finger instead, to feel her damp cavern.

"Ahhh… Ohh.. Yes… another one, another…" David obliged carefully, inserting another finger and finding the spongey patch known as the elusive "g –spot" while slowly pumping his fingers in and out of her. He was very aware of the pain growing in his groin, and kept it from rubbing against her. Penelope had other plans, and began fondling his cock again, wiping away the pre-cum while she mewled over and over again, the pleasure he was giving her with just his fingers very close to pushing her over the edge. Had Kevin _ever _found her g-spot? She knew he hadn't… this was beyond good.. This was heaven… This was…

A phone ringing again.

"Ignore it, baby." Dave reiterated, trying to remember a list of saints in the Catholic church, so as not to come in the palm of her hand.

"Dave… so close…" The ringing became louder, and Dave pumped his fingers faster, refusing to allow the ringing to distract her from coming.

"Come for me baby… come on my fingers…"

A flash of white shone behind her eyes, and her body felt tense for a brief second, as if recoiling, and then springing to life as a strong orgasm claimed her chore, and traveled down to her clitoris, finally exploding out of her as new, sticky cream flooded over David's hand.

Penelope was incoherently saying his name, shouting and squeezing his cock all at once and it was too much for any man, David's climax wracked his body forcefully as he spilled himself into her palm over her belly, breathing raggedly and trying to steady his sudden dizziness.

"Pen…. Kitten…" Laying his forehead in her chest and gently removing his fingers from her entrance, he felt slightly annoyed that the stupid cell phone had prevented him from having time to be inside her. _Later… _he thought surely. _Or not… _

Loud banging and voices at his front door had them both looking at each other as if to say, "I didn't invite anyone… did you?"

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you to everyone who nominated me in the 2012 Profiles Choice Criminal Minds Awards as "Best New Author" found on the "Chit Chat on Authors Corner" forum.**

**If you would like to vote, simply send your ballot as a PM to "2012 Profilers Choice Awards" page. (Again found on the CCOAC forum) =D**

**Thank you again for voting!**

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

As the voices became louder and the banging on David's hand-carved and imported cherry-mahogany double front doors became more intense, so did Rossi's irritation.

"KEEP YOUR HAIR ON!" He bellowed from the guest room, blindly trying to find his pajama pants in the darkness while Penelope simply gave a small squeal and hid herself deeper in the feather comforter.

"Pen, get dressed honey, it's the team." He located his pants and sans underwear hopped on one foot to wriggle into them.

"The… team?" Penelope lifted her head out of the blankets just long enough to see the evil smirk on David's face before he half-ran out of the room to get the door.

_Oh God, oh god… oh god oh god… _Penelope ran to the guest room door to slam it shut and turn on the light, trying desperately to find her clothing. Spotting a bathrobe on the closet door after getting her shirt and pants on, she threw it around her shoulders for good measure. _Where is my bra?! _Her thoughts were in a scrambled panic. The TEAM? Now?! After she'd just been in bed with David Fucking Rossi?! This was _not _happening…

"Where is she?!" Derek shoved his way past David's exasperated stance as soon as the door opened.

"Please, Derek, come on in." he replied dryly, moving aside to let the whole motley crew in.

"What the hell happened?" Emily cornered him first.

"And how did you get to her first?" Spencer asked with a quizzical look and more patient tone.

"She's okay, then, you didn't call paramedics?" JJ rushed out.

David closed his eyes and looked at the ceiling as if for strength from the saints, but Hotch wasn't having it. Eyeing his shirtless body clad only in pajama pants and knowing his best friends reputation better than he cared to, he turned a steely look on him when the rest of the team had filed into the wide open kitchen, greeting Penelope with hugs as she timidly emerged from the guest room, trying her damndest not to look as guilty as she felt.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hotch stepped forward into his personal space, but David, in typical Rossi-fashion didn't even flinch, or even take a step back, as a wiser man might have.

"Making sure someone I care about is taken care of…" Rossi met his glare with his own famous one, and continued in a higher voice so as to get everyone's attention. "Care for a glass of wine, Hotch? Anyone?" He looked around the faces of his team, knowing full well they'd all been drug out of bed, judging from the mis-matching ensemble they were all wearing.

Several nods later, David was pulling down crystal wine glasses from his custom made cabinets and pulling the cork on a very good year merlot, he had the feeling some major schmoozing would be in order to win the team over and to keep their attention off of Penelope's bizarre outfit. _She isn't wearing a bra…_David painfully mused, entranced at her large breasts for a moment. He was feeling ready to take her back into the room, and finish what he started. Penelope caught his obsidian eyes burning into her, and flushed deep red for a moment, guessing at what he was thinking about. When their eyes met for a moment, he simply winked and gave her an almost imperceptible smile. It made her insides turn to jelly, seeing all the smoldering in his eyes, seeing all their new secrets there.

"So, let me get this straight… a spark out of the wall-plug in caught the drapes on fire?" Morgan asked skeptically, tipping his glass of fine wine to his mouth and nodding an appreciative thanks to David.

"Yes, that's what I said. They are Persian silk, it's really flammable…" Penelope weakly defended, taking the glass out of David's hand he had been extending to JJ. She needed some liquid courage right now, more than ever. David smirked to himself when he turned to grab another glass to fill, but Hotch had seen it.

"And again, how did Dave get there so fast?" Derek continued, still intensely focused on Penelope, one free hand on her arm. He wasn't going anywhere until he could relax and know his baby girl was safe.

"I had the police scanner on, Morgan. I recognized her address. I didn't think to call anyone, my main focus was on making sure she was still alive." David leveled his stare at Derek's equally serious one, and Hotch could feel the tension between the two like an electrical current.

"In 30 plus years on the job, calling for back up didn't occur to you?" Derek's voice was lowered to a dangerous and doubtful hiss.

"That's what I said." David sipped his own wine, feigning non chalance as best he could. He'd really like to sock Derek one right now, how dare he question him?

"I'm just glad you're okay, Pen…" JJ put an arm around Penelope's shoulders and shot a warning look to Hotch. If someone didn't do something quick, Derek and David might have a shoot out, right here.

"Penny, you have some clothes at my house from our girls night back a few months ago…" Emily tentatively offered, having a very distinct feeling Penelope wanted nothing more than to be left alone and out of the limelight.

"Thank you Emily, I can get them in the morning." Penelope smiled gratefully at Emily, she _had _wondered what she would be doing for clothing come morning.

"Okay…" Emily shook her head and glanced around the faces now in Rossi's kitchen. The awkward silence was just starting. She made eye contact with Dave who nodded imperceptibly. Having worked closely with David for years she seemed to understand the wordless motion as a "This needs to be over now."

"Are you okay here mama? Would you like to be somewhere more familiar? I still got that comfy Egyptian Cotton blanket you like so much…" Derek had officially turned on the flirt, complete with melting charm smile. Penelope felt momentarily trapped in it.

"I was almost asleep when you all showed up… I'm fine here until morning." Penelope tore her eyes away from the statuesque Morgan to plead with Emily.

"Of course, then we'll _all _be going now." JJ announced, placing her empty glass on the marble island.

"I'll bring the clothes first thing in the morning, Pen." Emily bent to kiss her friends cheek and whispered so only the two of them could here. _"And I'll want a full report, before breakfast."_ Leaving Penelope with a half open mouth and stammering into her wine glass, Hotch finally began to usher everyone out, but not before glaring something fierce at Rossi.

"Alright team, Penelope is fine. We need to let her rest now."

Derek looked at Penelope with a question in his eyes, an obvious treason and pain etched on his face. Penelope had never turned down a sleepover at his house… They had always had so much fun, watching scary movies and cuddling in her favorite blanket, with ice cream Sundays… "Mama…" he began, as the team began filing out the front door.

To quiet him before it hurt her to hear what he had to say, Penelope stood on tip toes and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for coming to make sure I'm okay. I need to sleep now. Go. I'll be fine." And then she couldn't look into his eyes again, because he would see her own pain and confusion that mirrored his own. She was feeling guilty and she couldn't face him right now.

_It was always going to be Derek… if I ever slept with someone on the team it was going to be Derek… _She thought miserably as she headed back towards the guest room, existing feelings for Derek mingling uncomfortably for these new ones for David.

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you to everyone who nominated me in the 2012 Profiles Choice Criminal Minds Awards as "Best New Author" found on the "Chit Chat on Authors Corner" forum.**

**If you would like to vote, simply send your ballot as a PM to "2012 Profilers Choice Awards" page. (Again found on the CCOAC forum) =D**

**Thank you again for voting!**

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

As Dave shut the door to the last of his unexpected guests, he looked down the hallway to the guest room where Penelope had just retreated, looking a bit forlorn and withdrawn.

_Damnit. _Uneasiness settled on Rossi as he replayed the exchange between Derek and Penelope in his mind. Was there something more there? Sure, they flirted mercilessly at the office, but as far as he had ever seen nothing had developed into a serious relationship. What did Derek mean by, somewhere more familiar? And what was that about a favorite blanket? Images of the two of them under the same blanket made him uncomfortable and upset, had he moved too fast with her? Was something already starting with Derek before he had told her how he cared about her?

Groaning under his breath, Rossi began to think about how to approach this with her as he picked up the scattered wine glasses and deposited them in the sink. Dave stood at there with his hands on the counter, unknowingly grinding his teeth and staring through the window into the dark, his thoughts very much a haze.

"Dave?" Penelope's timid voice questioned from somewhere behind him. How long had he been standing, pondering?

Turning around, he saw the profoundly confused look on the beautiful face he loved to dream about. "Sorry… I…" he motioned to the glasses in the sink, not knowing how to tell her about his thoughts.

_Well. This is awkward… _She thought uneasily, rubbing the cold from her arms.

Noticing she was starting to shiver, he immediately walked to her and rubbed her arms without thinking. "You're cold. Get back in bed, kitten." He softly ordered, sadness settling in his deep black eyes. It made her shiver, and remember his voice when it had broken during the negotiation that had started all this.

Reaching up to cup his cheek, Penelope silently begged him to speak, to say anything to give her an idea of what he was thinking. Was he regretting their actions earlier? _Oh God… if he regrets it… how will we ever go back to being friends and coworkers? _

"You regret earlier." She blurted out, letting her hand fall to hug her chest, an unconscious sheltering movement, sadness coloring her words. She knew it, she should never have let herself think a man like David Rossi would be interested in her…

Shaking his head quickly and pulling her face to up to make eye contact with his, he kissed her lips firmly, once, and looked her in the eyes seriously. "I don't regret anything, Pen. I told you how I feel. I care about you. Very much… More than I have about anyone in a very long time. But you have to tell me…." He rubbed her cheeks with his fingers, hoping against hope that she could return his feelings without the younger, firmer Derek Morgan getting in the way. How would he survive it, if she rejected him for the younger man? He knew he was older, but he could and _would _make up for it with affection, and anything her heart desired, he'd use his fortune to give it to her.

"Tell you what?" God how his fingers tingled her skin. She wanted them to touch all over her, she wanted to get back into bed with him, and she'd say anything he needed to hear. She knew she would do anything to ease his clearly troubled mind. "Tell you what, Dave?"

"Do you… Are you… involved with Derek?" He couldn't meet her eyes, he was more scared than he wanted to admit, scared that her answer would be yes.

"N.. no… Why do you think that?" She knew why he would think that, she was pretty sure everyone in the office thought that.

"He said…somewhere more familiar… with a blanket you like… I just thought…" Slowly the dread was lifting from him, how could Derek be so stupid not to make a move for her?

"Dave. We've had a few movie nights at his house… I… I'll admit I guess there was a time I thought he and I _would _be involved… but… It never happened. He doesn't think of me that way…" _he isn't attracted to me. _She couldn't say the words out loud. She dropped her eyes to focus on something else, the tears starting to well. How many years had it been since she _had _felt attractive?

Dave could see the thoughts as if she were speaking them out loud and even though he was feeling like he could float to heaven with lightness and relief that she wasn't involved with Derek, he was starting to get really pissed off at her self esteem. He'd like to knock out any man who had ever made her feel less than the perfect woman she was. Why didn't anyone see what he did?

Pulling her face up to his again, he forced her to look at him. "Penelope, you are…" How could mere words express? He shook his head, trying to find the perfect words. "You are beautiful…" _really, that's the best you could come up with? _He shook his head again and decided to shut up. Showing her would be better, anyways. Wiping a stray tear from her disbelieving face, he claimed her lips again, passionately, and instantly the spark between them from earlier was reignited. She put her hands in his hair and pulled him closer, relishing the feeling of his cock instantly hardening against her, and making her burn with desire.

Reluctantly pulling away from her soft, plump, lips, inspiration coming over him he decided to let it all hang out. "I dream about you. I have for months… Pen I know I'm not as young as Derek but… You are the reason I come into the BAU every day, because I know there's a smile waiting for me. I can't start my day off without that smile, Pen. I crave it. When we aren't working together I think about the next time we will be. I give Derek a hard time because of how jealous I am of the attention he gets from you. I bribe Emily for information about you. This week, I found out your favorite coffee and it cost me a healthy sized favor pulled in from the owner of The Gun Range, she wanted a private range for a whole weekend. Penelope… I want to be with you. I want us to have a real chance, and I promise you… I'm not the man I used to be. I promise to give you everything you deserve, everything… Anything you want, I will make it happen, I promise. I won't work as much, I want to spend weekends with you, here, at the cabin, on vacation, anywhere…. "

Still holding her face in his hands and fearing he'd said too much and did it sound creepy that he bribed Emily and looking at a totally shocked Penelope he could kick himself. He had almost confessed to love eternal, to wanting to marry her. He was going to have to shut the hell up now. She wasn't ready for all that.

She wasn't ready to know he had a ring on order from a French jewelry maker, the one from a magazine she had carefully hidden in her desk drawer. She wasn't ready to know he'd found the well-worn page of a 5 carat, three stone engagement ring that she'd circled with red sharpie. God how he wanted to tell her he'd bought it for her, and that he'd buy anything else she ever circled in a magazine for the rest of his life, but she wasn't ready…

Sniffling, wiping her tears and shaking her head Penelope just started to giggle, and it erupted in a full blown laugh. Surely this was a dream.

"What?" Dave couldn't help but smile at the gorgeous laughter he heard coming from her, but he was definitely worried he'd gone to far.

"The Big Bad David Rossi…You're not scary at all, you're … you're a sap!" She laughed harder, burying her face in his chest and hugging his middle. _He wants to be with me… he wants to be with me._ Those few words were all she had heard, were all that were ringing in her mind now.Feeling Dave's chuckle as it shook his chest she finally quieted enough to look up at him with a huge smile. "I want to be with you too." And it broke her heart with happiness, she had never experienced this before. Was this love? It seemed to be bursting out of her, her smile so big it might stay stuck that way.

Not even his previous wives all agreeing to marry him had felt better than hearing her say that, seeing her smile this way. Kissing her again, and hugging her tight they both started to laugh again, something inexplicably light and wonderful about the whole situation overcoming both of them. "Good, then we'll make this happen. If you insist on still having your own apartment…" as he left kisses trailing down her neck and his hand snaking its way down to her ass she was yet again surprised at his insinuating that he'd like her to live in his home with him, "Then I want you to move closer to me. And I want us to take a holiday together, soon…" squeezing her round, amazing bottom he began kissing his way back up her neck and jaw line. "..We work too much. You're too stressed. I want to take you away. Soon, Pen. This month soon, Next weekend soon." Landing final kisses on her lips he decided he would not take no for an answer.

"Well if you'd stop smothering me!" She teased without any real irritation. He stopped kissing her to look at her seriously, but he didn't stop his hands from getting under the bathrobe and up her legs, making it incredibly difficult for her to concentrate. "I think that is a wonderful idea, _after _I get my apartment situation back in order."

"Baby. I may never let you leave, now that I have you." David picked her up, ignored her squealing protests and walked her to his room where he planned to do some serious convincing, hoping that she wouldn't want to leave when he was done with her.

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you to everyone who nominated me in the 2012 Profiles Choice Criminal Minds Awards as "Best New Author" found on the "Chit Chat on Authors Corner" forum.**

**If you would like to vote, simply send your ballot as a PM to "2012 Profilers Choice Awards" page. (Again found on the CCOAC forum) =D**

**Thank you again for voting!**

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

Emily jumped as her desk phone beeped loudly. Picking it up she looked up at Rossi's office with annoyance. "Yes?"

"Emily, I need to speak with you. Come into my office, please, now?" David hung up before she could answer.

"Pushy bastard." She whispered to herself as she got up to walk into Dave's office.

Looking over to Penelope's lair, she was thankful the door was closed. Ever since Dave had blabbed about her selling secrets, Penelope was on her case something fierce to keep her mouth shut or else.

Closing the door quietly behind her, Emily crossed her arms and tapped her foot haughtily. "This better be quick."

"Come over here. I need you to take a look at this, and tell me what you think." Dave had something in his hands behind the desk.

As Emily huffed and crossed the floor, she immediately gasped just as the door swung open and JJ walked in.

"What!" JJ quickly crossed the room too, thinking something was wrong.

"Close the door!" Rossi growled, covering the object in his hands. JJ ran back and closed the door then quickly returned to the desk to peer at whatever had Emily's mouth hanging open like a codfish.

"JESUS CHRIST!" JJ shouted.

"Shh!" Dave gave both of them a dirty look.

"Rossi, that's…" JJ shook her head at the enormous three stone diamond ring David was holding beneath the desk.

"Fucking gorgeous…" Emily breathed with a slight whine.

"Rossi, now I know why you've been divorced three times. Do you really always get the ring after only three weeks of dating?" JJ folded her arms and gave him a serious look.

"This is different, Jennifer. I'm not the same man I used to be. Things will be different." He nodded his head in confidence, very much appreciating Emily's reaction and still gaping mouth.

"Can I try it on?" Emily made a grab for it before he could stop her. "I've never worn one, just humor me." She defended herself as he lunged for the box, turning her back and nicking the thing out of the velvet casing before he could stop her.

"oooooohhh!" She held it up, and let the window light shine on her now adorned hand.

"Alright, that's enough, give it back." David held out his hand impatiently, why were women so silly about diamonds?

"Nope. My turn next." JJ gratefully caught the glittering piece as Emily tossed it towards her, a mock game of keep-away from Rossi.

"BE CAREFUL!" He he whispered loudly, watching in horror as JJ slipped it on.

"Oh, Dave, don't you want to give us a diamond ring too? As a bridesmaid present?" JJ breathed dreamily, holding her hand up as Emily had done.

"Yup, it's customary for the groom to give the Bridesmaids a gift, and that's what we want. Or I'll spoil it for Pen." Emily turned a serious face to Rossi's shocked one.

"What's going on in here?" Strauss walked in with a stack of folders and noticed JJ holding her hand up. Grabbing it and taking a look at the three giant rocks on her fingers and then looking to the obvious culprit, her eyes turned to ice.

"What is the meaning of this?" Strauss looked between a stammering JJ and a now totally flushed Rossi, who sat down heavily in his chair and put his head in a hand.

"I'm proposing to Garcia. These women have hijacked the ring. Give me the files and get out, Strauss. I'm not in the mood for a fraternization lecture." He said angrily, without looking at her.

JJ carefully pulled the ring from her finger and put it back into the grey box Emily held up and then placed back into Rossi's hands.

Straitening her back and dropping the folders dramatically on Rossi's desk, Strauss began walking out the door as quietly as she had come. "Get a prenup this time, David." She said icily as she closed the door.

Emily and JJ both visibly relaxed and began giggling quietly.

"Good luck, Rossi. And by the way, I'm a ring size 5." JJ turned to walk out as well, trying not to laugh outright.

"And I'm a 6." Emily said as she closed the door.

_Why me? _He thought glumly as he placed the ring in his gun safe.

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

"Hey sweet stuff. What do you say about Bruno's for lunch? They have a new salad menu…" Derek popped his head into Garcia's office with a ear to ear grin, a charming gesture that usually had her melting into his hands.

"Sure, that sounds good. Give me 15…" She smiled back and watched him leave. It was now or never, she needed to tell him she was with David now, and it was serious. Serious as it had ever been for her, anyways.

Closing out her internet browsers and saving her work, she sighed. David had wanted to go to lunch with her today, she'd just have to tell him this was important to her. Beeping his office she smiled when she heard his sultry voice.

"Hey kitten, you hungry yet?"

"Yea… listen.. I told Derek I would go to lunch with him. I need to… I need to tell him about us." She bit her lip, hoping he would understand.

"Oh. Okay. I'll miss you…" Her face fell as she heard the disappointment in his voice.

"You'll see me tonight, my handsome super agent. This is important to me."

"Tonight then, you're all mine." She could hear the grin on his face. Oh boy, what did he have planned? She giggled. "Yes, all yours. See you tonight." She hung up the office line and grabbed her giant yellow Fendi purse.

As she walked out of the office she ran smack dab into Spencer, who hadn't been paying attention due to the book in front of his face. The force was enough to knock her purse out of her hands and all it's contents go flying. Luckily, Emily had seen and intervened to keep them both standing. Hanging onto Emily before tripping and possibly breaking an ankle in her heels, Spencer squeaked as a lipstick tube hit him in the forhead. "Ouch! Pen! That purse is a lethal weapon!"

All three bending to pick up the contents, Penelope groaned as she realized the bottom of her designer purse had ripped open. "Ohh… My poor Fendi!" She looked sadly at the now destroyed accessory.

"I'm sorry…" Spencer stammered while blushing.

"Don't worry about it, mama, you don't need that, lunch is on me today hot stuff." Derek bent to pick her up and give her another charming smile just as Rossi was stepping out of his office and saw the mess.

"What happened?" He asked concerned, but his tone was colored with anger at seeing Derek touching Penelope and calling her 'hot stuff'.

"An accident. Spencer and I crashed and my purse ripped." She held it up for him to see, pouting.

"I'll take care of this, Pen. Go to lunch. I'm really sorry…" Spencer continued to collect the mass amount of lipsticks, compacts, pens and notepads.

"Come on, mama." Derek led her away before she could say anything more than give Rossi a confused look.

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

"So where have you been hiding out, sweetness? I haven't heard from you in almost three full weekends." Derek smiled behind his Heinekin, loving the way she picked all the berries out of her salad and putting them on his plate.

"I've been… with Dave." She blurted, not knowing how else to elegantly go about this. "We're… together." She timidly looked up to see his face, which was now slowly and deliberately swallowing his beer, the smile now totally gone.

"When did this happen? When you stayed at his house? Did he come onto you? The famous Rossi charm?" He sneered, and pushed his plate away from him, now having no appetite at all.

"Don't be like that, please, Derek. You're my friend. Be happy for me." She felt like crying, her appetite gone now as well as she forked her salad.

"Be happy for you? That you're being taken advantage of? Penelope, Rossi's got a bad rap, mama. You're being naive to think it's anything more than sex." He slammed his beer bottle down angrily.

She looked up at him in shock and pain, tears now flowing freely.

"A man like that doesn't get into a _relationship _after three divorces, Pen. I don't know when you gave leave to your senses but if you can't see the truth I don't know what to tell you." Derek got up to go the mens room, anger boiling inside him.

"What a perfect time to not have my purse and phone." She muttered. Motioning to the waiter and wiping her tears she asked forcefully. "Do you have a phone that I can use? NOW?" The stunned waiter pulled his cell phone from his pocket to offer her and she snatched it up without a thank you.

"Emily. Come get me. I'll be at the corner of fourth and tenth. HURRY." She gave the waiter his phone back and walked out of the restaurant, she couldn't see Derek again right now, or she'd have to hit him over the head with a plate.

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

Thank you for reading! Please review =D


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you to everyone who nominated me in the 2012 Profiles Choice Criminal Minds Awards as "Best New Author" found on the "Chit Chat on Authors Corner" forum.**

**If you would like to vote, simply send your ballot as a PM to "2012 Profilers Choice Awards" page. (Again found on the CCOAC forum) =D**

**Thank you again for voting!**

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

"JJ, where is Emily?" Rossi looked down at his watch, was everyone at lunch but him? His stomach growled to remind him yes.

"She left a few minutes ago in a hurry. What's up, you need more advice?" JJ jabbed, smiling.

"Yes, actually." Pulling his wallet from his jeans he picked an amber and gold credit card from it and held it out to JJ. "Feel like shopping?"

She took it from his hands and made an impressed face at the Gold Member exclusive title. "Depends, what am I shopping for?"

"A purse, to replace the one Spencer ripped. A nice one, and get yourself something to. Can you use your lunch break, please? Here, put it in the back of my truck and wrap it in something you girls like. I want to give it to her tonight at dinner." He placed a spare SUV key in her hands too.

"That was a Fendi-Prada, Rossi, do you know how much those things cost? She probably put two paychecks as a down payment…" She shook her head, pocketing the items.

"I'm good for it." He nodded and walked away, leaving JJ shaking her head amusingly.

"This should be fun! I wonder how much more we can squeeze out of old money-pants." She thought happily as she grabbed her jacket to leave. Maybe being Rossi's personal shopper and assistant to winning Penelope over would be a good thing after all! After years of amassing a fortune bigger than Gods, it would be good for him to spoil her a little. And there was a beautiful new line of matching Fendi sunglasses she had had her eyes on for a while….

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

"He said _what?!" _Emily was shaking her head angrily, maneuvering the government SUV through the city back to Penelope's new apartment.

"I know, I can't believe him!" Penelope blew her nose and pointed to the right, to signal Emily to turn. "Just tell Hotch I went home for a personal emergency, please? I can't see him again today, I might _kill Derek Morgan! _Or maybe I'll just hack his bank accounts and make him broke with a zero credit score until next month!"

Emily used a free hand to rub Penelope's back. "Just go home and try to relax. Maybe take a bath. I'll deal with Derek." She promised fatally.

"Dave will wonder where I am.. we're supposed to have dinner tonight at his place. I don't have my phone, can you just ask him to bring it and pick me up when he gets off? I know I'm asking so much of you…"

"Absolutely I'll tell him. Don't you worry about a thing…. How are you guys, anyways? You and Dave? Things getting pretty serious?" She prodded, wanting to find out if Pen was really ready for their upcoming tropical getaway and the surprise she was sure he was planning.

"He's great… he wants me to move in…" with the tears subsiding she answered meakly, still feeling a little shocked at how serious David actually was.

"Are you ready for that?" Emily stopped at a red light and looked at her friend.

"I don't know… I just got my new apartment… And I mean I'm still filling it with new furniture the insurance company is paying for..but… it doesn't feel like home. I'm a little lost in that department. I only feel at home when we're together, at his place. But it's so big… and…" She hesitated, wondering if she should voice her fears.

"And?" Emily hit the gas.

"And… you know that saying, why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free? What if Derek is right, he doesn't want a long term thing, just a live-in girlfriend to cook his meals and wash his laundry!?" It came out in a squeaked rush.

"Ah, Pen. Dave isn't like that. He loves you. I can tell." Emily shook her head, promising to gut-check Morgan when she got back to the office.

"He hasn't said it yet. He hasn't said the L word yet." Penelope stared sadly at the tissue in her hands.

"He will, I know it." Emily pulled into the apartment complex gates. "I just know it."

"Really? You sound so confident." Penny asked.

"That's because I am. Derek is a single idiot, who knows nothing. Now, get upstairs and make yourself all beautiful for David tonight, and don't worry about a thing. I've got you covered."

"You're the best friend ever, you know that?" Penelope squeezed Emily's hand and stepped down from the SUV with a wave.

"I'm going to murder you, Derek Morgan." Emily said under her breath as she drove away.

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

"Where is she?!" Derek caught up to Emily as she walked out of the elevator doors towards the bullpen.

"I thought she was with you?" Rossi looked at Morgan who was looking angrily at Emily who without warning socked Morgan in the mouth.

Doubling over an office chair, groaning, while Emily rubbed her knuckles Morgan knew instantly he deserved that, and deduced that Emily had been the one to pick her up.

Standing up, Morgan glared at Emily and then at David before silently retreating once again to the mens room to clean up his bleeding lip.

"Well. Thank you for saving me the trouble." David regarded a seething Emily, somehow he knew the lunch hadn't gone well.

"You're next." She took a step towards him and Rossi, who never backed down from a fight, expertly took several quickened steps backward and put his hands up in a sign of surrender.

"Whatever I did, I'm sorry…" he winced at the hungry-for-blood look on her face.

"It's what you haven't done, you oaf…" She looked around to make sure no one was in audience, most of the office still at lunch. Lowering her voice she continued "You bought her a ring and you haven't even told her you love her yet? What the hell is wrong with you? She doesn't know where you stand!" Emily threw up her hands for emphasis on her frustrated demeanor.

"I… I thought I did…" Rossi looked around the office, focusing on nothing in particular trying to rack his brain. Hadn't he been perfectly clear about his feelings for her, every time they were together?"

"A girl remembers that sort of thing, Rossi. I suggest you evaluate how you really feel before making crazy demands like moving in and marriage. The girl is confused." She walked away from him then, sick to her stomach of men and their idiocy.

"Oh god…" he turned to watch her walk away, not knowing what to say.

"Pick her up after work. She's at her apartment." Emily sat down at her desk facing away from him and punched the 'on' button on the monitor.

"What'd I miss?" JJ pranced in at that moment, a smile and a huge pair of sunglasses on her face. "How do I look?" She gushed to Rossi, as she placed the card and key back in his hands.

Without answering, Dave walked back to his office, a hopeless sort of look on his face.

"Wow. You look pissed, Dave looks like a whupped puppy and I just saw Morgan holding a bloody tissue to his lips, _what _did I miss?" JJ took off her sunglasses and pulled a chair up to Emily.

"Only champion of the male idiots competition."

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

Putting the curler on her still bare bathroom counter top, Penelope sighed. Her thoughts had been eternally overwhelmed all day, even a salt water bath hadn't eased her like it usually did.

A knock at the door brought her back to the present, remembering Rossi was picking her up.

"Coming!" She called, quickly checking the mirror for any imperfections. "Good as it's gonna get.." She made a face at herself. Why couldn't she feel pretty today? Damn Morgan, for upsetting her and shaking her confidence in her relationship with Dave.

"Hey handsome." She smiled as best she could, seeing David at her door with a bouquet of daisies. _No roses… _she chastised herself immediately, she shouldn't expect roses, she should just be happy he came with flowers… even if Roses meant love, and Daisies meant friendship. But maybe he didn't know that? She could only hope.

"Hey beautiful." He stepped in the doorway and pulled her into a warm embrace, kissing her full lips and squeezing every party of her body he could get his hands on.

Putting her arms around his neck she allowed him to deepen the kiss, sucking on his tongue and moaning softly.

"Mmm kitten if you keep doing that we won't make it back to my place tonight." He held up the flowers. "Where should I put these? I brought them for your apartment, I thought they would brighten it up."

_They are for the apartment… _She thought with relief. "I'll get a vase…" Smiling, she attacked an unpacked uHaul box and tore the newspaper from a green sea-glass vase.

"You haven't made much progress unpacking since the last time I was here…" Dave noticed, looking around while she filled the vase with water.

"Well how could I? All my of my free time is spent at your place." She giggled as he came up behind her at the kitchen sink and tickled her ear with kisses.

"I'm hoping you don't realize that's part of the master plan." Placing the flowers in the vase he took it from her hands and carried it over to the window that faced the street. "There. An even better view now. Are you ready? Did you pack an overnight bag?" He looked around for it.

"Yes. And Yes." She picked up a bright glittery purple bag and let him lead her out of the apartment, locking it with the key she had given him. Without meaning to, Penelope was getting her hopes up very high for the evening, expecting something extraordinarily romantic, if his evening dinner jacket was any indication, and she desperately needed to not be let down again today.

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Glad you are all enjoying the story! An extra thanks to **Guardian-Princess, ColeMax, jennycrum, xxHawkeye, g7sassluclaff7g, p95000 – **for reading and reviewing and following me on this first Penelope/Dave story :D:D


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you to everyone who nominated me in the 2012 Profiles Choice Criminal Minds Awards as "Best New Author" found on the "Chit Chat on Authors Corner" forum.**

**If you would like to vote, simply send your ballot as a PM to "2012 Profilers Choice Awards" page. (Again found on the CCOAC forum) =D**

**Thank you again for voting!**

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

"You look really nice tonight." Penelope rubbed her fingers down the soft lining of David's suit jacket.

Taking the hand he'd been holding the entire car drive and pressing it to his lips, he regarded her seriously. "You look even better." He smiled when she blushed and dropped her head. Still, he couldn't believe she didn't see herself as beautiful the way he did.

"Emily didn't tell me what happened today, but from the way she plugged Derek in the mouth and the resulting amount of blood, I'd say it didn't go well."

Penelope gasped and looked into his face to see if he was joking. "You're not serious, she didn't actually _hit _him?"

Dave chuckled, enjoying her reaction almost as much as he did getting to see Derek actually double over a desk chair.

"I'm not joking, Derek got his ass whupped. And didn't say a word, I'm guessing he knew he deserved it." Dave looked back at her, hoping she was going to tell him exactly what happened.

"Well. He did. He was an ass. And that's all you're getting, so please don't press it." She gave him a pointed look.

"Okay sweetheart. I will leave it alone, for now." He kissed her hand again, thankful that she was in good spirits and with him tonight.

Pulling up to his self-proclaimed mansion, and unbuckling both of their seatbelts he, ever the gentleman, hopped out to get her door. "Come on baby, Candela's Italian worked very long and hard on our dinner." Taking her arm, and leading her up the steps he relished her giggles.

"You mean you aren't going to take credit for cooking for me tonight?"

"No, baby, I won't. They do canoli better than me anyways, I've never been able to get my mama's recipe right." Opening the door and ushering her in, he smiled broadly when he saw the look on her face and the gasp that escaped her lips.

"Ohh! Dave!?" she clapped her hands together and giggled excitedly at the sight before her.

Rose petals stretched from the front door all the way into the low lit kitchen where candles were lit all over the place, and beautiful crystal place settings displayed on the oak table where an elegantly wrapped gift box was placed in the middle.

"Let me take your jacket, baby." He took her jacket and hung it on a coat rack behind the door and put a hand on the small of her back to usher her forward. "Glass of wine with dinner?" he took a glass that had already been airing and handed it to her.

"What in the world is all this about?" She asked through smiling, tipping the delicious and expensive tasting liquid to her lips.

"Just celebrating the best romance of my life, with the woman of my dreams."

"Ooh.." She couldn't stop smiling, feeling that all of her hopes and expectations were absolutely coming true. "You're the best…" She used her free hand to cup his cheek and kiss him with all the gratefulness and love she felt.

"No, you are. Come and sit, our food is still warm." She was becoming increasing shocked with the somberness of his voice, the serious tone to it.

"The best part of a romantic dinner at home is I can ditch the heels!" she flung her Jimmy Choos into the living room. Dave chuckled. "I hope you feel that way about the rest of your clothing by the end of the evening." He eyed her showing cleavage hungrily, running a finger over the exposed flesh.

"Dinner first. And I see a present!" She squealed happily, releasing herself from him and hopping towards the table. "Can I open it now?" She played with the soft silver ribbon that adorned the pale off white paper.

"No. Has to wait until later. And sorry about the crappy paper, JJ helped me pick out something better, but I had to re-wrap it.

"JJ helped you?" She looked to him warmly, feeling so much love for her friends.

"And Emily, coincidentally." He pulled a chair for her and then brought over a covered silver tray.

After a few more "oohs" and "ahhs" at the delicious and authentic Italian dinner, they ate a few moments in silence, David watching her carefully to gauge her reactions and moods.

"Emily threatened to sock me in the mouth too." David blurted out after a few minutes, gulping down half a glass of wine nervously.

"What!? Why!?" Penelope asked with half a mouth full of pasta.

"She said that I've confused you. That you didn't think I loved you." He glanced at her surprised face, then took another gulp of wine.

"Penelope, I do love you. I love you more than anyone or anything in my life. I hope you never have reason to doubt that again, and I'm sorry for not being a hundred percent clear on that. I promise to remind you that I love you, often." Rossi put a hand on hers, and lowered his eyes, but it was too late, she had already seen the tears welling there.

"Dave…" she stood up and immediately bent down to him, lifting his face up to hers and kissing him deeply. "I love you, too."

Hearing the words he hadn't realized until this afternoon he desperately needed to hear, he pulled her down onto his lap and deepened the kiss, forgetting not to mess up her perfect curls and running his hand through her soft hair. "You have no idea how good it is to hear that, kitten."

Sniffling and smiling at him while in his lap she realized this _was _indeed what love felt like, and it was making her ache inside, to finally know that she was loved, to understand she loved back.

"Here." David also sniffled, somewhat embarrassed, and handed her the box. "Lets go into the living room, there isn't much room here." Penelope smilingly took the box and reluctantly got up from his lap.

When they were both seated and Dave had brought their wine and set it down on the living room table he noticed she hadn't opened it yet. She was staring at him, in somewhat of a daze. "Well, aren't you going to open it?"

"I don't know what could possibly be better than hearing you say those words tonight. I'm kind of shell-shocked over here…" She gave a small laugh of embarrassment, looking down at the box and noticing that indeed the paper had been re-wrapped. New excitement got the best of her as she gave it a good shake.

Smiling at her excitement, it was all he could do not to help her rip it open. _Hurry up, damnit, _he thought as he finished his wine and watched as she lit up like a kid at Christmas.

Lifting the box lid, Penelope's mouth dropped when she saw a beautiful new Fendi-Prada designer purse, purple velvet and embezzled with real Swarvoski crystals.

"Oh my god, Dave! It's this season's! It's so beautiful!" she cradled it to her and ran her fingers across the soft surface.

"There's something else inside, kitten." He took the box and paper and put it on the floor, out of the way.

"What? What else…" Carefully opening the thick gold zipper she pulled out a long red envelope.

Using a fingernail to slit the opening she unfolded a five page packet, and two tickets fell out.

"Tickets to… Belize… Oh my god! Dave!" She leapt into his lap and hugged him, squealing and incoherently saying something about she'd always wanted to go.

"Read the itinerary love, tell me if that sounds okay."

Backing off of him carefully and scanning the pages she looked at him curiously. "What, what is… Why are we meeting with an event planner the first day?"

"Keep reading." He edged closer to her, rubbing her legs and watching her eyes quickly reading down the pages with complete confusion.

"Whose wedding are we going to?" She put down the paper to pout at him. She didn't want to take a romantic vacation and have to spend it with anyone else but Dave, on the beach. More confusion came on her face when he stood up from the sofa and then down on one knee, as he reached into his jacket pocket.

"Penelope Anne Garcia, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how perfect you are to me…" Popping the lid off of the grey velvet box he smiled up at her gaping mouth, hand over one heart and looking like she'd just seen a ghost. "Will you make me the happiest man on earth and be my wife?"

Instantly panic set in on David as he wondered if she was working up a way to run out the front door or if she had stopped breathing.

"Baby… baby are you okay? Breathe honey…"

"Oh my god…" She finally tore her tear filled eyes from the beautiful ring to his face, feeling shock numbing all of her body. Nodding her head she squeaked out something that sounded like a yes, and started to sob as she put her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck.

"Please don't cry. You'll ruin your makeup… here… See if it fits, baby girl." Squeaking and sniffling as he helped her up, he took her left hand and slid a sparkling, five carat, antique filigree, three stone ring onto her ring finger. She couldn't take her eyes off of it.

"How did you know… this… it's only hand made in France, it takes months to…"

"I've known for a long time I wanted to marry you, Pen. Even before last month when your apartment burnt down and you stayed here. I've loved you for longer than I had the courage to tell you…"

"Dave I don't know what to say. It's beautiful. It's so beautiful…it's too much." She suddenly realized how much this ring had cost him, and to most families that would be the whole 30 year mortgage on a house.

"It isn't too much. Nothing is too much for the most wonderful and beautiful woman I know." He kissed her ringed hand and, with one hand in her hair to pull her face to his he kissed her lips, the months and months of longing and yearning poured out and finally having his woman was overwhelming him. "Just say yes, prezciosa, and we'll have the wedding in Belize on a beach, and we'll fly out the whole team. And our parents. And anyone else you want." He looked seriously into her eyes, hoping to God she would have him.

"Yes, David Rossi, I will be your wife."

~CM~CM~CM~CM~CM~

**Fin!**

So glad you all enjoyed it! To **JDfanatic, **and anyone else I forgot to mention for reviewing, thank you again SO much and I'm glad you enjoyed.

I will be writing a sequel soon so don't forget to watch for it!


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